Austrian climber convicted over mountain death
An Austrian court has convicted an experienced mountaineer over the death of his girlfriend during a winter ascent of Grossglockner, the country’s highest peak. The defendant, identified as Thomas P in accordance with Austrian privacy rules, was found guilty of gross negligent manslaughter. The court handed him a five-month suspended prison sentence and imposed a fine of €9,600 (£8,400). His partner, Kerstin G, died from hypothermia during their climb in January 2025. In a statement cited by the BBC, the court said it took into account the defendant’s previously clean criminal record and the personal loss he had suffered. Judges also acknowledged the intense public scrutiny on social media, which they described as prejudicial. Presiding judge Norbert Hofer, an experienced climber who collaborates with mountain and helicopter rescue services in Tyrol, said Thomas P was a highly skilled alpinist. However, […]